Questions you were too embarrassed to ask have found answers, thanks to Olga, resident know-it-all at The Ryersonian. Each week a different reporter at The Ryersonian who is best suited to respond to your questions will act as Olga. Here are some responses from last week.
Dear Olga,
I was in an open relationship with someone last year, but I hated sharing. We got into a fight and I cut off contact with him. He called me recently and said he wants me back. Should I believe him?
Before you consider taking this person back you need to find out where you both stand. Do you still “hate sharing” and does your prospective partner still want a polyamorous relationship? If the answer to both those questions is “yes” then you are better off pursuing other suitors. There is no use staying with someone if you want different things in a relationship. The fact that you had an open relationship should absolve the other party from any guilt in cheating. An open relationship implies an agreement was reached that both of you are free to pursue other romantic interests. The fact that you fought about this shows that one of you was not OK with this agreement. When you ask “should you believe him,” what exactly are you asking? Should you trust him? Only you can answer that.
Dear Olga,
How can I change the world?
People spend their whole lives trying to find the answer to that question. The short, obvious, answer would be to respect others. Most of the world’s problems are created when we stop treating each other the way we want to be treated. Starting large movements like the women’s rights movement or the civil rights movement are lasting examples, but the small things matter as well. Open the door for someone, give your friend a hug when they are feeling down, think about what you’re saying and how it will impact others before you say it. Remember that the only way we can move forward and change the world is to root every decision we make in kindness, in respect.
Dear Olga,
I’m graduating soon. Oh dear God, how am I supposed to survive in the real world?
First of all, you should know you’re not alone. Graduating from university is a big deal: We spend years of our lives and thousands of dollars to get here, to survive here. The thought of leaving should create feelings of relief and uncertainty. From reports on the economy and the job market it may seem like life after graduation is difficult and full of challenges, but the key is to stay optimistic, even when it seems hard. Every time you are ready to give up you need to remind yourself of the effort you put into to completing your time at university. You need to remind yourself that that effort can’t go to waste. Outside the walls of Ryerson, past Gould St. is a world that might appear unfamiliar and frightening, but what’s important to remember is that it’s full of people like you. People who at one point or another were at the end of a chapter in their life, waiting and worried about what will come next. As long as you convince yourself that you will survive out there because you survived in here, nothing can stop you from making this come true.
Keep sending in your questions here.
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